Early Civilizations

Agricultural vs. Nomadic

Most of the early civilizations were either agricultural or nomadic Agricultural civilizations would stay in one

area and grow and harvest plants and domesticate animals

Nomadic civilizations would follow herds of animals to hunt and would also gather wild fruits and grains. (60 or less people)

In order to be considered a civilization, a group of people must have division of labor and formal political units (Most also have a system of writing)

Early Civilizations

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Tigris/Euphrates Civilization

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Tigris/Euphrates Civilization

Known as Mesopotamia Includes:

Sumerians (Iraq and Iran) Babylonians (Kuwait, Iraq, Iran and Syria) Phoenicians (Syria) Israel

Tigris/Euphrates Civilization

Sumerians Developed cuneiform (Wedge writing using reeds) Was an agricultural society Developed System of numbers using units of 10, 60

and 360 Developed ziggurats to be used as temples Believed in a “divine force” that worked through

nature. Made up of city-states ruled by a king (usually a

military leader) Used silver as currency Taken over by then Akkadians and then the

Babylonians

Tigris/Euphrates Civilization

Babylonians King Hammurabi instituted the Hammurabi Code

Laws were based on a precedent from previous cases Were engraved on Stone Slabs

Conquered Israel Conquered by the Assyrians

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Tigris/Euphrates Civilization

Phoenicians Were focused with trade on the

Mediterranean Traded wood, slaves, glass and Tyrian Purple

(made from sea snails Simplified alphabet

Only 22 letters Set up a number of colonies including

Carthage

Tigris/Euphrates Civilization

Israel Monotheistic

One of the most influential religions Made up of twelve nomadic tribes that

eventually conquered and settled into the region that they now inhabit

Conquered by a number of empires Babylon and Rome

Egyptian Civilization Focused around the Nile River

Lower Egypt in North and Upper Egypt in South Pyramids to entomb their pharaohs Extensive gold use Mummified their dead Hieroglyphics- Picture writing Contributions:

Advanced mathematics 24 hour day

http://www.ancient-egypt-online.com/

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Chinese Civilizations

Developed around the Huanghe (Yellow) River

Developed in almost total isolation Traded some with India and the Middle East Ruled by the Shang Dynasty Contribution

Ideographic symbols Iron working using coal